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"Toby, please call a taxi" – How an AI is taking over the receiver
The desire is as old as the taxi business itself: when the receiver is lifted, there should be someone on the other end who listens, understands – and reliably sends a vehicle. That is exactly what "Toby" is now. The new AI solution from Taxi.de promises to fundamentally change the classic order conversation on the phone – without personnel, without waiting loops, and without comprehension problems.
What sounds like a nice addition for many passengers could be a lifeline for taxi companies: labor shortages, rising costs, and competitive pressure from platform providers have been putting the industry under pressure for years. Now a software is supposed to help, which sounds like a human – but is not one.
Always friendly, never overwhelmed
Toby is an "AI Assistant" – a voice-activated, learning application that takes orders around the clock over the phone. Developed by Taxi.de, the system was tested live for the first time in collaboration with Michael Much, owner of the long-established taxi company Much in Bonn.
The principle is simple: When you call, you no longer speak to an employee, but with Toby. The digital assistant politely asks for the destination, recognizes dialects, processes more complex requests, and forwards the order directly to dispatch – either to the central office or directly to a free vehicle.
"The feedback is incredible," says Much. "Everyone wants to test the telephone AI order acceptance. Toby is a world first, fascinating because any form of order or information can be processed for the customer."
Technology that listens
In practice, Toby works like a call center that never sleeps. Even during peak times, such as weekends, it receives all calls – simultaneously, without waiting times. For businesses, this means less staffing effort, consistent service quality, and reduced risk of losing passengers due to overloaded lines.
But it’s not just the businesses that benefit. For many passengers, particularly older people or those without app experience, the telephone is the preferred interface. This is where Toby comes in: The artificial intelligence is programmed to respond to questions in an understandable manner. The system learns with every use and thus becomes (even) better.
“We are very pleased to be able to open a new chapter in telephone order acceptance with Toby. Many taxi companies and dispatch centers, which have come under pressure from platform providers or the general increase in costs, can greatly benefit from this solution,” emphasizes Alex Brandenstein, Managing Director of Taxi.de.
Especially when traditional personnel models reach their limits, Toby can help small and medium-sized companies remain competitive. The provider also assures that they are on the safe side in terms of data protection. Toby meets all standard requirements, transmits data in encrypted form, and can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems.
Trial phase in action
Interested companies can already test Toby – the AI assistant can be experienced in a simulated setting through a special phone number (+496994323357).
The response has been significant, says Brandenstein. For him, it’s clear: Digitization in the taxi industry is progressing. And it doesn’t always happen on a smartphone – sometimes it simply picks up the receiver.
Content automatically translated.
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